Jay Cutler in One of Most Pressure-Packed Situations in NFL

By Andrew Fisher

Jim Brown – USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears have a unique set of circumstances heading into the 2013 season. Normally, 10-win teams are a little more hyped, but that’s not the case in Chicago. With a new head coach in place, expectations might even be higher than they were a year ago. When fans look at this team top to bottom, there really aren’t any excuses as to why the Bears shouldn’t be a legitimate playoff contender. The guy that’s going to be under the biggest microscope in 2013, though, will be quarterback Jay Cutler.

Everybody knows that quarterbacks are the most harshly criticized players in the NFL. They really do get too much credit when things go well, and too much blame when things go poorly. But that won’t change, and especially not for Cutler this season. The pressure on the Bears to make the playoffs and compete would be enough for most quarterbacks, but Cutler is also going into a contract year, while trying to learn a new offense. That’s a lot to have on one’s plate.

Cutler will be more harshly criticized than ever before in 2013. Fans don’t care that he’s trying to learn a new scheme, they just want wins. There’s no question in my mind, that if Chicago doesn’t make the playoffs, that Cutler is gone. It will be unfair in some regards, but somebody’s head will have to roll. There’s a solid argument to be made that the Bears would be better off with Marc Trestman taking a hand-picked guy in next year’s draft, rather than try to make things work with Cutler.

Bears’ fans are just hoping that those talks never take place. Most of them seem to want him to succeed, but making the playoffs is the only thing that can for sure save his job.